Histories

When playing the role of a fictional Elvish character, it often helps to write a fictional history for your character to help define who he is. The following files will help guide you in concocting a plausible and successful history for your Galadhrim character.

What is a History?

A fictional history for your character is a description or an historical account of how your character came to be who and where she is. Your history should contain things that most characters would already know about you. These items include, but are not limited to, your lineage; your occupation; your house affiliation; etc.

Histories are always in flux, changing as the experiences that your character encounters continuously add to the backstory of where your character finds herself at any particular moment in time. The history that you write should be the basis for which you draw inspiration from for how your character will respond within certain circumstances.


What to Include in Your History

  1. Parents. Where do they come from, what do they do, and what is their influence on your life?
  2. Siblings, if any. Who are they, and how is your relation with them?
  3. Experiences. What have you learned in your life? What has made you who you are? What motivates you?
  4. House or Family. What is the influence of your House in your life? Is there anyone you are closely related to?
  5. Job. What job are you after? Why?
  6. Interests. What do you like to do, and why?

What NOT to Include in Your History

The following character concepts are discouraged or not allowed, though some of them may be awarded by the +ruler to very experienced players. Note that if you do become allowed to involve a culture other than Lórien in your history, you will need the approval of their +ruler as well.

  1. Well-traveled elves and elves born outside of Lórien.
  2. Elves born before the Third Age. These are a Restricted Species. Note that if your parents were born before the Third Age, you will not be able to temp-alt them.
  3. Elves 100 years old or younger. We also highly discourage elves in the 100-500 range. An elf this young is very limiting, and cannot be promoted to high ranks.
  4. Elves with amnesia. This is probably not even thematic.
  5. Extreme drama. If your character's life is that difficult, he or she would probably have sailed West by now. Some drama is fine, but don't overdo it.
  6. Dead or lost parents. Very cliché, and living parents are more fun.
  7. Heirs or close relatives of important Lorien figures (house founders, etc.).

Setting and Approving a History

Setting

There are two commands you will have to type to get your history set on your character.

@HISTORY ME=(your history, with paragraph breaks replaced with %r)
@SET ME/HISTORY=VISUAL

Approval

You cannot roleplay a history without approval of the Local Admins. Ask an LA to go over your history with you. When there is any doubt, or you cannot agree with the LA on your history, you can ask the +ruler to approve your history directly.

Note: if you involve a person in your history that is being played on Elendor, you will need his/her approval. Also, if you involve another culture than Lothlorien, you will need the approval of their +ruler as well.

-----